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. FLOORING CLAMP.

No. 341,708. Patented May 11, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOREN G. WVELGH, OF GROTON, VERMONT.

FLOORING-CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,708, dated May Application filed November 7, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOREN Gr. Waters, of Groton, in the county of Caledonia anu State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flooring-Clamps, of which the following is a description.

My invention is an improved fiooring elainp; and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view-of my clamp with a different position of parts indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lever. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base. Fig. 4 is a view of the outer end of the base, and Fig. 5 represents the sleeve for use in clamping the tongues of boards.

The base or fulcrum bar Ahasits outer end formed with depending serrations or teeth B. and the upper side of said end is formed at O with a protuberance, providing a bearing or seat to receive the stroke of a hammer in the operation of the device. The end of the base opposite the teeth is bifurcated by a slot, D, forming arms d. Between these arms (I, I pivot the lever E, having the ngarn. e and the short arm F, the extremity of which is formed with a head,f,which is rounded transversely, so that such head, when bearing against the edge of a flooring-plank, will not fracture or jam the same.

'In operation the teeth of the base engage the lining-boards or floor-joists in such position that when the lever is raised its head will bear against the plank to be clamped up, when, by depressing the long arm of the lever, the plank will be clamped up. It will be noticed that the rounded head as it turns will not damage the edge of the board, and the necessity of an interposed jam plank or block is avoided.

Manifestly the teeth may be engaged with the joist or other support by a hammer or hatchet, or by the pressure of the foot of the operator.

The device is simple in construction and can be manufactured at a small cost.

Serial No. 182,129. (No'moileL) The device as above described will operate when used against the grooved edge of a board; but in order to render it complete and useful for operation against the tongue edge of a board I prefer to use the sleeve G. This sleeve G has a longitudinal groove, 9, in its outer side, and has one side slotted or. cut out at g, so the sleeve can be slipped longitudinally on the head f past the juncture of the arm F. I prefer to widen the slot 9 at its central portiomusually by forming recesses g from its walls, as will be understood from Fi 5, as by this construction the sleeve may rock on the head as the lever is operated. The

purpose of this sleeve G,it. will be understood, is to prevent any damage to the tongue of a flooringboard, as by fitting the groove g over such tongue the latter will be protected from damage when pressure is exerted against the 'board on which it is formed.

What I claim is-- 1. In a flooring-clainp,the combination, with a bearing-head, of a sleeve supported and adapted to rock or oscillate on said head, and provided with a longitudinal groove, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. A flooring-clamp having an arm, F, provided at its bearing end with lateral eXtensions, forming a head, f, and provided wit-h a sleeve, G, fitted on' said head,and having a lougitudinal groove, 9, and a longitudinal slot, 9, said slot being enlarged at g, substantially as set forth.

3. A liooriugclamp comprising a base-bar, A, having serrations B at one end,and having said end formed with a 1i rotuberancc, G, on its upper side, and a lever pivoted to the 0pposite end of the base, and having an arm, F, provided at its bearing end with lateral projections rounded transversely and forming a head, substantially as set forth.

LOREN e. wnLcH.

Witnesses:

lnonuic Il. GREEN, JOHN T. DARLING. 

